1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an alternating low air loss pressure chair overlay for an immobile bedside patient to prevent treat skin inflammations and decubitus ulcers while the patient is seated in a bedside chair, and specifically, to an improved alternating air pressure chair overlay, with coverlet, that prevents skin breakdown and allows for single patient, bed and chair dual usage with one air pressure control unit that can be used with an alternating air pressure bed mattress and with the alternating pressure chair overlay.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of air mattresses and in particular, alternating pressure air mattresses in beds to prevent decubitus ulcers is well known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,060, issued Jul. 31, 1990 to Peery et al., shows a mattress assembly for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers. Typically, a plurality of air sacs or cells are individually filled or emptied at different locations to change the pressure contact on the immobile patient's skin.
Skin diseases, skin pressure problems, and decubitus ulcers are caused from lack of movement when skin areas of a person are subjected to constant pressure for long periods of time. For people who are basically immobile and are bedridden, decubitus ulcers are a serious problem. U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,364, issued Dec. 7, 1993 to Volk, shows a therapeutic mattress that provides a wave-like deformation of the patient-supporting surfaces in tubular elements along a selected portion of the length of a mattress to prevent decubitus ulcers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,247, issued Sep. 4, 1990 to Hasty, shows airtight sacs in a parallel array that supports a patient, in which the air pressure can be changed in each individual sac as a function of time. The air sacs are arranged as a support mattress for a patient in bed. The devices shown in the prior art are shown as support bed mattresses for patients who are immobile and confined to bed or bedridden for long periods of time. Oftentimes, it is desirous to have the patient removed from the bed so that the patient can sit upright for periods of time, even though the patient is basically immobile. During periods when the patient is seated in a chair, it would also be desirous to provide a support system that would prevent skin problems continuously caused by skin surface pressure immobility from the support surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,131, issued Jan. 1, 1991 to Hazard, shows a passive motion back support which can be attached to a chair for improving the back support for a person seated.
None of the devices in the prior art provide for an individualized skin pressure sensitive support surface for a patient seated in a chair for long periods of time to prevent decubitus ulcers or other skin diseases. The present invention overcomes these problems, while at the same time providing for a chair-mountable air support device that can utilize a standard air pump and distribution device.